Words by Ed King
Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton has called for a General Election following the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss yesterday.
Liz Truss publicly stepped down as Prime Minister, addressing media and crowds outside Number 10 Downing Street on Thursday 20 October – claiming she was “unable to deliver the mandate” she had been elected by the Conservative Party to push through Westminster.
Following widespread reaction and speculation across the county, Erdington’s MP Paulette Hamilton told Erdington Local: “It’s been 45 days of chaotic and disastrous leadership.
“The Conservative Government under Liz Truss has crashed our economy so badly that working people in Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale are facing an average mortgage increase of £413 a month.
“The mess that the Tories have created is of their own making. The damage they have done could take years to fix, but it will be people in our community picking up the pieces.
“The Tory party can no longer be trusted to decide who runs the country. A General Election is the only way to end this nightmare.”
The recently elected Labour councillor for Castle Vale, Ray Goodwin, also mirrored the message coming from the Erdington MP and Labour Party leadership.
Cllr Goodwin told Erdington Local: “I find it quite shocking that the country is in complete turmoil, families are worried about food or fuel. An economic plan is in tatters, which nearly bought the country to its knees.
“Services so under pressure by families in crisis, the sort of leadership that the labour party in Birmingham has shown by announcing emergency funding and a cost of living emergency, this is needed nationally.
“This is why I believe the only solution left, is to let democracy take place and a General Election must now be called.”
Outside of the political arena, voters across Erdington were also reacting to the news of Liz Truss’ resignation – as the Conservative Party face yet another leadership election and fight to reassure the public they are united enough to lead the county.
Castle Vale resident Terri-Anne Coope said: “I feel all this yo-yoing in London is just causing more uncertainty in the local area, people are already experiencing political fatigue.
“And a lot of the services in Erdington and surrounding areas are provided by charities, volunteer, or community interest groups – the looming idea of more Government cuts to services is just going to put more pressure on those who already volunteer their time for free.
“Those groups also have to pay bills too, so unless there’s money to support this I can see vital community services having to reduce the services they offer or scrap them completely.”
Sue Spicer, former Chair of the Castle Vale Community Housing Association, told: “As an ex Prime Minister she is possibly entitled to a payment of £115,000 each year for life when she was only Prime Minister for about 45 days.
“When the general public are worried whether they can afford to eat or keep warm this absolutely scandalous, if it does happen. I also can’t believe that there is a call for Boris Johnson to come back as PM but then again, I am not sure who would be the person for the job from the current government.”
Outside of the Castle Vale estate, Erdington ward resident Sue Bicknell added: “I think we have become the laughing stock of the world.
“My worries about local area are that there will be less money for services that are needed and the middle is society will be squeezed, e.g. the families that do not qualify for benefits and have to pay for everything themselves but are less well off than some on benefits because of this.”
Following the announcement of Liz Truss’ resignation as PM, the Government has announced there will be another Conservative leadership “in the coming week”.
Erdington Local approached Erdington ward councillor and leader of the Birmingham Conservatives Robert Alden but has yet to receive a response – which will be published in this article, or elsewhere at Erdington Local, if received.